Here at school, we work to enable children to grow in their problem-solving skills. Our focused attempts are through ICPS, Social Decision Making, and Peer Mediation.

Saint Mary Instructional Support Team (IST)
Saint Mary Catholic School's IST team consists of the principal, I.U. counselor, psychologist and other designated teachers. All members of the team have received specialized training in Drug and Alcohol Prevention Curriculum as well as approved student assistance team training.

The team functions are:

• To determine if student referral is related to life crisis or classroom instructional challenges.

• Student Assistance (Life Crisis)

• To provide the skills necessary to resist the influence of alcohol and other drugs.

• To intervene with “at risk” students in providing assistance and continued support.

• To assist teachers and staff to provide intervention in the classroom.

• Instructional Support

• Identify students with special instructional needs

• Work to identify instructional conflicts help classroom teacher differentiate instruction for student success

Community Building and Team Work
The process of coming to know ourselves is a difficult journey. When children begin this journey, they must be helped to become self-reliant in facing their trials. Every day, some kind of problem occurs among children, a child and teacher, a parent and child, or a child and another adult. Some children can handle these problems better than others. It is our responsibility to help our children learn the skills that enable them to solve the problems they have with others. Make no mistake, our children’s behaviors are learned behaviors. Be it from our example, peer example or the media, children learn to be how they are through their experiences. Active involvement in our children’s journey of youth is essential if they are to become the Catholic leaders of our community, our world.